Half Moon Bay (Lesser America) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (11)
See it if you like short, romantic plays with perhaps a mismatched man and woman with two quirky but fine performances
Don't see it if some simplistic dialogue and situations turns you off, expect more action in plays you see, you're tired of the girl meets boy, etc. plot
See it if you want to see two exquisite performances by Gabriel King and Keilly McQuail. Also, terrific set design by Reid Thompson.
Don't see it if you don't want to be moved by a play.
See it if You enjoy shows about the way young people act and react while dealing with serious addiction issues. You enjoy shows about quirky hook ups
Don't see it if You can't deal with raunchy language and seriously flawed characters. You don't like real issues dealt with in a comedic style.
See it if you're charmed by adorably quirky misfits falling in love with each other.
Don't see it if substance abuse and adult language are not your idea of adorably quirky.
See it if you enjoy an entertaining boy meets girl story. Good acting, nice sets, banal story.
Don't see it if You've seen a thousand boy-meets-girl story.
See it if You like amazing performances and a remarkable set. Very entertaining and surprisingly funny.
Don't see it if You want something deep and profound.
See it if you like a well executed version of a the very popular millennial romantic dramedy.
Don't see it if you can't commit to two hours with the same two characters.
See it if you would enjoy a funny, well-written, and well-acted take on the boy meets girl story with engaging characters
Don't see it if you are looking for an insightful, intellectual or poetic journey
Critic Reviews (12)
"A sweetly caustic survey of contemporary relationships, pleasantly prickly until it turns unnecessarily serious...Under Jess Chayes’s direction, McQuail and King offer a clever and often funny study of modern courtship’s dance of approach and avoidance...In searching for dramatic obstacles, Mr. Moyer has to saddle each of them with a couple of past traumas, a device both heavy and hoary...Like many a date, what seemed so alluring the night before, palls the morning after."
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"Dan Moyer’s two-hander is so un-insistently engaging, the actors’ embodiment of pursuer and pursued so appealing, that any concern about tired romantic tropes quickly dissipates...Analysis misserves the free-wheeling originality of this incipient (maybe) love story. The script, studded with amusingly offbeat asides, could play well in theaters across the country, especially in the hands of a director as deft as Jess Cheyes. It’s difficult, though, to imagine better enactors."
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“Rarely falls into the easy mode of the typical romantic comedy, in which the characters spout lines that are far more clever than they are believable. Here the often-funny lines and sexy magnetism that emanate from Gabe and Annie are true to their characters….The production is helped in no small way by the wonderfully rich performances under Jess Chayes's direction; never for a moment do you doubt the honesty of their portrayals of these two struggling souls.”
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"Moyer’s excellent dialogue contains so many sharp and wise lines that precisely delineate the characters. A great asset is that they’re spoken by two gifted actors who effortlessly make it appear as though that the play was written just for them…The chemistry between McQuail and King is instantly palpable and propels the play to its satisfying conclusion…Passionately written, presented and performed, 'Half Moon Bay' is a moving and entertaining treatment of Boy Meets Girl."
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“The meet-cute is certainly not a new conceit and in the wrong hands could come off as tedious and clichéd. But playwright Dan Moyer brings a freshness to his take, combing humor with sexiness and pathos…Director Jess Chayes steers the flirtatious and bruising ballet with a light hand, maintaining a lively choreography, both verbally and in the constant advancing and retreating between Annie and Gabe.”
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"Under Jess Chayes’ meticulous and spirited direction, Keilly McQuail and Gabriel King are the kingpins in this Lesser America production. Their emotional honesty is sometimes too much to bear...In those places where Moyer’s script falters, these two actors fill in the gaps with the grit of their formidable craft...'Half Moon Bay' is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the unrelenting hope of finding salvation in the face of the other."
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"The beginning of 'Half Moon Bay' does not promise a great romance. But it winds up delivering something almost as sweet – a charmingly-acted, quirky, subtly comic, touching look at the tentative, fumbling effort by two characters to make a connection...'Half Moon Bay' may not be a perfect – the characters’ interactions may not always be entirely believable, it may take a tad too long. But as imperfect as it may be, it deserves love."
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"Moyer has written a play with brilliantly rich characters. They are authentic and real...Moyer has captured young people hookup culture yet found depth in the saga. His writing is snappy and accessible...Watching their journey provides an impeccable payoff...There is no denying the duo of 'Half Moon Bay' were magnetic. King as Gabe and McQuail as Annie were a quicky comedic duo with incredible harmony...'Half Moon Bay' is a special play. Lesser America has another hit on their hands."
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